Jettisoning means for the sliding canopies of airplane cockpits



July 2 1946 cQM. VERHAGEN v r 2,403,325@

JETQISONING MEANS FOR THE SLIDING CANOPIES OF AIRPLANE COCKPITS Filed Dec. 11, 1942 l 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 SheetsvA-Shee't 4 July 2, 1946. c. M v'l-:RHAGEN JETTISONING MEANS FOR THE SLIDINGCANOPIES AIRPLANE GOGKPITS Filed Dec. 11, 1942 BY M 1 Nw MM 1 uw Bill AN mmf V /ll gj@ NN l: r, 2 22,

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INVENToR r/zagan,

.` canopy will be free to fly olf into space,

`front ends of the side bars I9. Y

` .OPCYL i When the canopy I3 isin its closed position, the

, 'front edge I4 of the same Aissealed and cushioned within the front edgek I I of the windshield by a abutting the closed rear ends 26 of the formations 25. Y

The formations and 21 will secrure the side Y rails I8 to the side bars I9 only so long as the formations remain in interlocked engagement with each other. Should the side rails 18 which constitute the lowermarginal edges of the canopy I 3, |be shifted rearwardly'for but a short distance with respect to the side bars I9--sayV about anl inch-the formations 25 will become unhooked fromithe formations 21 and the side rails and This release is normally rprevented 4by two downwardly spring-pressed locking pins28. Y,The pins 28 are reciprocably mounted in brackets 25 on the front ends of the side rails I8 and project downwardly fstrips 4'2. One of the side sections 4I is hinged `along its upper edge at 43, whereby to provide an escape hatch forthe occupants of the cockpit should the plane turn over on its back on the ground and the canopy as a whole be jammed and prevented from being slid back in the normal way. The hinged sectionI is normally held in its closed position, with its bottom rail 44 positioned against the adjacent side rail I3, and with its front and rear end rails 45 and 4% secured against the members forming the front and rear edges I4 and I'I of the canopy, by any suitable latching means (not shown).

' The panels 4l of sheet metal or other material which form the roof section 45 o-f the canopy,

' and the panes 48 of safety .glass or other transthrough holes 3Ilin brackets- 3l attached to the v The locking pins 28 are connected on theinsideof the canopy, 'at a readily accessible loceQnLa/bputimid height Ofoneof the .Sides, andthe. cable 32 leading'from the locking pin at ,theopposce Siders led to the handlers thmugh an arched conduit 34. When the handle 33 ispulled,l the pins V28 carried Vby the side rails .Ifwillbewithdrawn from their locked engager are prende@ witmn the channels '724,1 withv forwardly springpressed plungers 35jwhich exert to hexane wirecables 32 which are inturn eonnected to an i operating handle Y33.U The handle 33 is mounted parent material which form the side sections 4I, are all securely held in their marginalY frame `members by readily removable glazing 'strips r4i) of rubber or other resili'ently compressible mate- `rial inserted under compressionV in grooves 573 forward pressureon brackets 3-5 mounted on the uppersurfaces of the'side bars I9. As soonas the lockingpins 23 are ',withdrawn, thelplnng'ers l 35wi1l force the side rails I 3, with theV canopy I3, Arearwardly far enough to permit the forma- `1 ;ion s.2 5` -to vdisengage from the formations 21.

f 5Theextent to which the plungers35 'will move the'side'rails, I 8 rearwardly yis limited Vby s tops 3] ,on'the side,bars' I9 in the path of movement of ,the rear nds Yofi Certain@ the'fomatons' .25. ,Y

During, ,this rearward movement Small antilfri'# i101; @Hers-.38 'Carried' 'by` the. ,Side railsr l Bride 0n the upper surfaces of certain of the formations 2I Y strek;imperial.

- rg'iqqmpne foregdingit wiii'be understoodthat as soon as the ,handle 33 is manipulated to trip the pins 28 ,lthe side rails I8 will be shifted rear,-

by` the spring-pressed plungers 3,5 fai' enough to unhook the formations 2 5 from the for;

mations 2 1 Vand also far enoughto withdraw the i front edge I 4 of the .canopy fromwithin the telescmingV rear edgeIIof thefwindshield. The side Tails .3.Wh the Canopy, .Will ,mqtellispa ratef from vthe side bars I9 and fly oi into space underthe action ofthe air stream thereon, vleave in g the upper portion of jthe cockpit V,entirely to relieve, friction and eliminate any tendency to provided in such frame members. Y The jettisoningV means is of course not limited in its application toa glassed-in canolpy'lfagted immediately Ibehind a windshield, but maybe employed to advantage inlconnection with other enclosures at different locations. I'claim: r' l. In a plane fuselage, VVthe combination with an opening in the topfoftheifuselage, andan arched canopy normally Vcovering saidopening, of side rails at the lower edges of thesides of the canopy rigidly connected with the" latter, car.-

,35 riages beneath the side rails providedwith track rollers, tracksalong the sides of the opening in the fuselageA engaged bytherollersYV for permitting the carriages with the side rails and canopy to be slid backendwise of the tracks to uncover the opening, interengagingformations on vthe side rails'vandicarriages normally holding .the sameihooked together, which formationsdisen-` gage` r11/.pon the sidej` rails beingishifted endwise with respect to, the lcarriages a,A short distance,

spring means tending toefl'ect suchendwise shifti l ing movement, locking means 'normally renderingthe spring meansV inoperative,- and control means for releasing the locking means, vwhereby aina plane fusemge, the combination 'with an opening in the fuselage, and a canopy normallycovering said'pening with a portion of the canopy telescoped'within. the fuselage aty the front end ofthe opening, of side rails at the sides ofthe canopy rigidly 'connected withY the latter, carriages adjacent 'the side rails, tracks along the' sides of the openingV in the fuselage for per-z Y mitting the carriages with the side," rails and canopy tobe slid back endwisev of the tracks''to uncover the opening, interengaging formations on the side rails and carriages normally holding the same hooked together; which formations disengage'upon the side rails being shifted endwise with respect to the carriages far enough *forV the canopy to clear the front end of the opening' in' the fuselage, means tending to effect such end-Y wise shifting movement, locking means'normally rendering said last mentioned means inoperative,

and control means forr releasing the locking means, Wherebytorjettis'on the canopy.

fCnRIs'TiAN M. verarmdEN@ 

